Spicy Thai Chicken Recipe

😊 Why This Recipe Works

• If you enjoy Thai chicken recipes for dinner this easy main dish recipe is perfect with a hint of spicy flavors to spice up your weeknight dinners.
• A great addition to your regular rotation of meals that can be served in a variety of ways such as with a simple stir fry dish, over a salad, or with white rice, jasmine rice or stir fry noodles.
• If you like spicy food, this is a great recipe to explore cooking with Thai flavors and create simple meals.
• A delightful chicken recipe with bold flavors that’s sure to be a new family favorite.
• Chicken Thai food can be really spicy or mild. You choose the spice level.

🛒 Ingredient notes

This Spicy Thai chicken recipe is a simple recipe made with a short list of ingredients that you can find at your local grocery store, order online, or take a quick trip to the local Asian market.

• Chicken breast: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts for a healthy chicken dinner and save some time.
• Thai Seasoning: This blend of spices is rubbed into the chicken giving it lots of flavor. 
• Honey: Just a touch for a little sweetness to balance the other flavors in the sauce.
• Coconut aminos: A gluten-free alternative to soy sauce but you can use regular soy sauce or tamari if you prefer.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic gives this simple sauce the best flavor.
• Fish sauce: A common ingredient or condiment used in Thai recipes that you can find at your local Asian market if the grocery store doesn’t have it.
• Ginger: There is no substitute for fresh ginger so grab a small piece in the store.  
• Lime juice: Only use fresh lime juice, not the kind in a green bottle.
• Unsweetened coconut: Be sure to choose unsweetened coconut for the perfect coconut flavor that isn’t overly sweet.
• Sriracha sauce: This spicy condiment is available in the grocery store and you can add more or less for the level of spice you prefer.
• Red chili flakes: Add more or less depending on how spicy you want the sauce to be.

See the recipe card for a complete list and quantities.

🔪 Step by step instructions

Here’s a preview of how to make this spicy BBQ Thai chicken recipe. For the full instructions, see the recipe card towards the bottom of the page.

1. Preheat your grill to medium heat.  Rub the Thai seasoning on both sides of the chicken breast, coating well. I use latex gloves so my hands do not get stained by the seasoning.

2. When the grill is hot, place the chicken down and cook for 5 minutes on one side or until the chicken starts to brown. Then, flip the chicken over and cook for another 5 minutes.

The chicken is fully cooked when the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees. If it is not up to temperature yet allow the chicken to cook a few more minutes, and then check again. Be sure not to overcook, this could dry out your meat.

3. While the chicken is cooking, you can make the spicy Thai chicken sauce. Add all the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and stir to combine all the ingredients. 

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to boil, lower the temperature to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, and then remove from heat.

When you’re ready to serve pour the warm sauce over the cooked chicken and garnish with a sprinkle of unsweetened coconut.

⭐ Hint: The best way to check the temperature of the chicken to make sure it’s done is using a digital instant-read thermometer.

✔️ Substitutions

Here are a few substitutions you can use to make when making this recipe:

• Chicken breast: Swap out the chicken breasts with chicken thighs, chicken wings, or even pork or beef.
• Honey: Swap it out with any type of liquid sweetener such as maple syrup, monk fruit sweetener or agave syrup. These may taste slightly different but since you are just using a touch, it should affect the overall taste of the dish.
• Sriracha: If you don’t have this ingredient you can use sambal oelek or another simple hot sauce.

🔀 Variations

Looking for some ways to change up making this spicy Thai chicken recipe? Here’s some of my favorite ideas:

• Thai sweet basil: Sprinkle a touch of julienned Thai basil or regular fresh basil over the top of the finished chicken to make a spicy Thai basil chicken.
• Seafood: Make this recipe with your favorite fish fillet or shrimp.
• Thai Hot Chicken: Kick up the heat in your honey-based sauce by adding double or triple the chili flakes and Sriracha sauce.

💭 Tips for making the recipe

If you like your Thai BBQ Chicken Recipe with a lot of sauce then double the recipe sauce portion. Serve in a small bowl for dipping and drizzling.

Use disposable latex gloves to rub the seasoning onto the chicken as the turmeric in the seasoning will stain your hands a pretty shade of yellow if you don’t have gloves on.

Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the chicken after cooking for 10 minutes and regularly after that point so you don’t overcook the chicken.

The trick to getting nice grill marks on your chicken is to let the chicken cook on each side without moving it.

❓ FAQ